'87 Brake Line Replacement - HELP!

[87BrownToy]

I've had to do a complete replacement of the brake and fuel lines on my Corolla Sedan. Ended up replacing the gas tank also.

I got it all back together, started to bleed the brakes and got bubbles, bubbles, and more bubbles. http://www.toyotanation.com/forum/im...milies/ugh.gif

I replaced the brake lines with 3/16" steel and flared the ends myself using a kit from AutoZone (which I know is not pro quality).

My question is what is the proper double flare size for this car? The original lines look closest to a 5mm flare, but I've read 4.75mm is correct, and I've also seen posts that suggest it's not metric at all, but an SAE flare.

I've isolated the leak to the proportioning valve on the firewall, and removed the lines so that I could flare them on the bench, but don't want to waste my time guessing anymore.

Any help is surely appreciated.

Thanks.

[corolla_nut_83]

honestly I'm not sure what the actual size of the flare end is but you should use the double flare kit. Read the instruction on using the kit. You should have no problems at all getting the brake lines to seal. Make sure you get the ends tight as well. Trial and error is the best way to become "PRO" at flairing brake line. I recommend trying it on a spare piece of brake line.

[87BrownToy]

Oh I've used it about 2 dozen times to make double flares on the real lines and scrap pieces and just can't get one that isn't crooked. Ok - I take that back, I think I did get 1 good looking flare on a scrap peice.

One thing that might help others though, is that when I got the kit from Auto Zone they asked what kind of car (Toyota) and gave me a metric kit. That was a mistake since I was using 3/16" line. I needed the SAE kit to properly hold the steel line and I believe the proper size for the flare "bit" was 3/16" also looking at the original. It was not the 4.75mm or 5mm. I got the SAE kit and it worked better, but I still got crooked flares.

I'm taking the lines to a mechanic that I know tomorrow.

[corolla_nut_83]

Originally Posted by 87BrownToy

Oh I've used it about 2 dozen times to make double flares on the real lines and scrap pieces and just can't get one that isn't crooked. Ok - I take that back, I think I did get 1 good looking flare on a scrap peice.

One thing that might help others though, is that when I got the kit from Auto Zone they asked what kind of car (Toyota) and gave me a metric kit. That was a mistake since I was using 3/16" line. I needed the SAE kit to properly hold the steel line and I believe the proper size for the flare "bit" was 3/16" also looking at the original. It was not the 4.75mm or 5mm. I got the SAE kit and it worked better, but I still got crooked flares.

I'm taking the lines to a mechanic that I know tomorrow.

So the big thing about getting the flare straight is to get the cut on the end of the line straight. I use a small pipe cutter. Then I use a file to remove the ridge that the blade leaves. I usually don't have tomuch of a problem. Also, the flare doesn't need to be perfectly straight.... Just make sure that when you place the line in the proportioning valve the flare covers the opening!

[87BrownToy]

Got this '87 fixed some time in August and gave it to my daughter. Hope this result helps someone else.

Best advice I have for replacing all the brake and fuel lines is DON'T DO IT. But if you're like me and do it anyway...



I finally gave up and took the brake lines to a shop owned by a friend of a friend and he flared the lines for me. I put them on the car and it still had air in the lines.

The way I finally got it all working was to make a homeade power bleader with a bicycle pump attached to teh master cylindar. After forcing fluid through the lines in this manner, I ended up with brakes more solid than they ever were in the 15 years I owned the car.